W'^Miiii^ 


ESSES, 


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,1  l\xt  W«o%rcaJ  ^ 

PRINCETON,  N.  J 


hjm/^^y/j/^    /^"^  y>'   //'^^''' 


BV  4070  .L36  R62  1887 
Roberts,  William  Henry,  184 

-1920. 
,  Addresses  delivered  at  the 
^        Lane  Theological  Seminary  L 


^^^  ^ 


e  V 


;  cp.^  ^.  xsyr-. 


ADDRESSES 


DELIVERKIJ  AT  THB 


Lane  Theological  Seminary, 


Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A., 


OCCASION  OF  THE  INAUGURATION 


REV.  WILLIAM  H.  ROBERTS,  D.  D. 

AS  Professor  of  Practical  Theology. 


CINCINNATI: 

Elm  Street   Printing  Company,   Nos.   176  and   178  Elm  Street. 
1887. 


I.  THE  CHARGE, 


KEV.  GEO.  P.  HAYS,  D.  D, 


II.  THE  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS, 


The  Headship  op  Christ  as  it  Appects  the  Office,  Work,  and 
Spirit  of  the  Christian  Minister, 


REV.    WM.    H.    ROBERTS,    D.  D, 


[  Inaugural  Service-j  held  December  14,   1886.] 


THE  CHARGE, 


Rev.    GEO.    P.    HAYS,    D.  D. 


My  Dear  Brother. — Two  years  ago  your  lifeway  and  mine 
brought  us  in  sight  of  each  other.  Since  then  our  paths  have 
been  converging,  until  now  our  duties  He  side  by  side.  To 
me,  this  has  been  a  matter  of  sincere  pleasure.  I  congratulate 
you  that  so  early  in  your  life  God  and  his  Church  have  called 
you  to  this  position,  which  is  second  to  none  in  usefulness  and 
importance.  No  profession  is  more  noble  than  that  of  preach- 
ing. To  make  preachers  is  the  best  part  of  the  preacher's 
work.  In  inducting  you  into  this  office  of  moulding  ministers, 
my  brethren  of  the  Trustees  have  asked  me  to  say  a  few  words 
of  counsel  and  encouragement  to  you. 

Allow  me,  then,  in  the  first  place,  to  counsel  you  to  study 
the  science  of  teaching.  Twelve  years  of  the  study  and  obser- 
vation of  the  educational  profession  in  this  country,  have  left 
on  my  mind  a  profound  impression  that  the  great  majority  of 
those  who  fail  in  this  work,  fail  not  because  they  do  not  know 
enough,  but  because  they  lack  skill  in  imparting  and  enforcing 
knowledge.  More  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  per- 
sons in  this  country  are  making  their  living  as  teachers  in  pub- 
lic schools,   academies,    colleges  and  professional  schools,  and 


THE  CHARGE. 


very  many  more  would  like  to  do  so.  The  main  difference 
between  those  who  succeed  and  those  who  fail,  is  in  the  power 
of  government  and  teaching.  With  such  a  force  and  such  a 
field  in  this  department  of  human  enterprise,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  as  good  talent  as  this  country  affords  has  devoted  itself  to 
the  task  of  methodizing  this  science  of  education.  I  commend 
to  you,  therefore,  the  study  of  the  works  of  the  masters  of  the 
art  of  teaching.  The  art  is  not  different  in  secular  and  relig- 
ious education.  Study  well  such  works  as  "Wickersham's 
Methods  of  Instruction,"  "Trumbull's  Teaching  and  Teach- 
ers," and  especially  "Dr.  White's  Elements  of  Pedagogy." 
Make  yourself  a  master  both  of  the  theoretical  science  of 
teaching,  and  the  practical  art  of  the  teacher. 

It  would  be  good  for  your  students  to  study  that  same  sci- 
ence and  practice  it  as  an  art.  ' '  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach 
all  nations,"  is  that  order  of  the  Great  Teacher,  under  whose 
commission  they  are  to  go  forth.  To  do  your  work  well,  you 
and  they  will  need  to  understand  the  science  of  mind  and  the 
modes  of  presenting  truth  so  as  to  secure  a  favorable  and  per- 
manent impression.  You  and  they  are  to  measure  your  effect- 
iveness, not  by  the  abstract  truthfulness  of  what  you  say,  but 
by  your  power  to  make  your  hearers  hear  it  and  heed  it.  The 
public  want  and  will  pay  for  the  services  of  those  who  can 
instruct,  entertain,  persuade  and  control  human  hearts  and 
consciences.  That  same  public  will  neglect  and  willingly  let 
starve  those  who,  in  their  opinionated  self  conceit,  insist  that 
the  public  shall  take  their  services  whether  they  please  people 
or  not.  The  perfection  of  pulpit  work  is  the  happy  combina- 
tion of  effective  teaching  and  persuasive  oratory.  Mistakes  in 
grammar  or  rhetoric  are  always  faults,  but  inability  to  hold  an 
audience  is  always  a  dead  failure. 

In  the  next  place,  as  you  are  the  Professor  of  Practical 
Theology,  teach  your  students  the  things  they  will  have  to 
practice  in  their  ministry.  I  do  not  believe  that  candidates  for 
'the  ministry  have  ever  in  the  history  of  the  Church  had  better 
instruction  than  is  now  given  in  the  Department  of  Dogmatical 
Theology,  Old  and  New  Testament  Languages  and  Literature 


THE  CHARGE. 


and  Church  History.  The  weak  place  is  in  that  department 
to  which  you  are  called.  This  does  not  apply  so  much  to 
Homiletics  as  to  the  other  studies.  Young  ministers  are  taught 
to  preach  sermons,  but  are  they  as  faithfully  taught  to  read  the 
Scriptures,  to  read  hymns  and  to  pray?  They  are  taught 
sacred  rhetoric  according  to  every  book  except  the  Bible,  but 
are  they  as  well  taught  in  the  matter  of  church  organization 
and  management?  The  Confession  of  Faith  and  the  Cate- 
chisms are  text-books,  but  the  Form  of  Government,  the  Book 
of  Discipline  and  the  Directory  for  Worship  ought  also  to  be 
studied,  that  students  may  be  familiar  with  the  theory  and 
application  of  these  standards  to  every-day  church  life.  In  the 
General  Assembly  half  a  day  can  not  be  had  to  discuss  the 
validity  of  Roman  Catholic  baptism,  or  the  duty  of  the  Church 
in  regard  to  the  Revised  Version;  but  in  last  year's  Minutes 
you  publish  standing  orders  for  seven  evenings,  six  forenoons 
and  four  afternoons  of  the  ten  working  days  of  its  sessions ;  and 
all  these  standing  orders  are  about  Boards,  and  Committees,  and 
Sabbath-schools.  Surely,  if  that  is  "the  proportion  of  faith," 
your  students  ought  to  have  ample  instruction  about  the 
"good  works"  involved  in  all  these  boards  and  committees 
and  schools. 

Beyond  these  public  affairs,  your  students  will  have  pastoral 
duties  and  difficulties,  and  on  these  matters  they  will  need 
your  advice.  They  are  pretty  sure  some  time  to  have  troubles 
about  the  choir.  Please  tell  them  how  to  avoid  these,  or  man- 
age them  when  they  can  not  be  avoided.  They  will  have 
cranks  outside  of  their  churches,  and  nervous  people  inside, 
and  you  ought  to  give  some  helpful  suggestions  for  such  emer- 
gencies. They  will  have  the  sick  to  cheer  and  the  mourner  to 
comfort;  teach  them  to  be  sons  of  consolation.  Teach  them 
how  to  deal  with  inquirers,  their  excuses,  their  doubts,  their 
misapprehensions  of  Scripture,  their  mistakes  about  God,  and 
the  deceits  of  their  own  hearts.  Instruct  them  how  to  deal 
with  new  converts;  how  to  lead  them  to  make  a  proper  confes 
sion  of  their  faith,  and  what  that  confession  means.  Discuss 
before  them  the  whole  question  of  organizing  a  churcli  tor  effi- 


8  THE  CHARGE. 


cient  work ;  what  inside  organizations  should  be  promoted,  and 
how  far  the  pastor  should  work  these ;  and  when  he  should 
help  others  work  them.  They  will  specially  need  to  be  taught 
how  to  train  their  members  for  personal  work.  In  my  opinion, 
the  Presbyterian  ministry  is  weaker  just  at  that  point  than  at 
any  other.  Nearly  all  the  Christian  work  done  by  our  six 
hundred  thousand  church-members  is  either  done  or  inspired 
by  one-tenth  of  that  number.  Of  the  other  nine-tenths,  surely 
by  proper  effort  two  hundred  thousand  could  be  so  trained  as 
to  be  reasonably  successful  personal  workers.  A  minister 
ought  to  make  it  a  matter  of  conscience  not  to  do  anything  in 
his  church  which  he  can  persuade,  command  or  entreat  his 
people  into  doing.  You  can  do  nothing  more  useful  for  the 
students  of  this  Seminary  than  to  teach  them  how  to  bring  out 
as  skillful  workers  the  whole  membership  of  their  churches. 

Another  branch  of  church  work  in  modern  times  is  the  Sab- 
bath-school. Do  not  omit  instructing  your  students  on  that 
subject.  Probably  most  of  your  students  will  have  experience 
in  this  work,  but  instruction  will  still  be  necessary.  Sabbath- 
schools  will  sometimes  want  to  manage  everything,  and  forget 
that  the  Session  is  in  control  of  Presbyterian  churches.  So, 
also,  oftentimes  trustees  assume  all  authority.  Instruct  your 
students  on  the  whole  money  question.  It  is  a  humiliating 
fact  that  so  many  ministers  have  such  low  views  of  the  obliga- 
tion of  personal  honesty.  Nothing  more  quickly  cuts  under 
that  popular  confidence  which  a  minister  ought  to  enjoy,  than 
that  in-  money  matters  he  should  be  known  as  careless  or 
untruthful  or  dishonest.  Handle  at  large  the  whole  financial 
problem  as  to  the  trustees,  the  deacons,  the  building  com- 
mittee, the  boards  and  the  pastor's  salary.  If  the  Lord  saw 
fit  to  touch  the  matter  of  their  support  in  his  charge  to  both 
the  twelve  apostles  and  the  seventy  disciples,  and  Paul  occu- 
pied so  much  space  in  two  chapters  of  his  Epistles  to  the 
Corinthians  with  it,  for  the  ministry  to  omit  it  is  not  modesty 
but  unfaithfulness.  Every  minister  should  count  himself  a 
representative  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  behalf  of  his  King- 
dom, to  solicit  from  Christ's  people  the  fruits  of  their  Master's 


THE  CHARGE. 


vineyard.  He  solicits  not  for  himself,  but  for  his  Master,  as 
represented  in  the  great  missionary  enterprises  of  the  Church. 
He  may  be  reviled  and  cast  out  and  killed,  but  he  is  not  to 
complain.  "Vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  repay,"  saith  the  Lord 
of  the  vineyard.  Generally,  however,  the  good  Christian  peo 
pie  will  count  it  a  joy  to  give  of  their  substance  to  the  Lord 
who  hath  redeemed  them.  In  all  this  the  minister  will  need 
wisdom  and  discretion. 

But,  thirdly,  as  you  are  a  Professor  of  Practical  Theology, 
make  your  students  practice  these  instructions  under  your  crit- 
icism. The  medical  student  values  very  highly  the  privilege 
of  hospital  practice,  under  the  eyes  of  the  preceptor.  Law 
students  organize  their  moot  courts,  that  they  may  prepare 
and  try  cases  under  the  eyes  of  their  teachers.  The  ideal  edu- 
cation is  that  which  combines  theoretical  education  with  the 
nearest  approach  to  actual  practice.  In  one  of  his  revival 
meetings  Mr.  Moody  took  his  place  among  the  inquirers,  and 
Dr.  Plumer  took  the  platform.  These  two  acted  the  parts  of 
inquirer  and  spiritual  guide  for  the  instruction  of  those  about 
them.  If  it  is  proper — and  who  will  doubt  it? — for  you  to 
require  your  students  to  submit  skeleton  sermons  and  written 
prayers  for  your  inspection,  and  to  practice  preaching  for  your 
criticism,  why  is  it  not  just  as  proper  for  them  to  have  meet- 
ings of  a  church  session  to  receive  members  and  talk  over  con- 
gregational matters,  and  meetings  of  presbytery  to  examine 
candidates,  to  inquire  about  the  churches,  to  try  judicial  cases 
and  admonish  offenders.  So  shall  they  learn  how  to  conduct 
such  business,  and  you  shall  be  able  to  correct  their  mistakes 
as  to  the  functions  of  a  presbytery.  It  would  be  an  unques- 
tionable means  of  grace  for  many  a  student  to  have  one  of  his 
fellow  students  examine  into  his  religious  experience  and  his 
views  in  seeking  the  ministry.  These  young  ministers  will  be 
much  better  prepared  for  serious  illness  and  a  death-bed,  and 
for  ministering  to  the  sick  and  dying,  if  they  come  into  your 
room  and  talk  over  these  subjects  as  they  suppose  the  dying 
think  of  them  and  as  the  ministers  ought  to  speak  to  them. 
Tax  your  wits  to  invent  methods  to  work  these  young  men 


lo  THE  CHARGE. 


into  practicing  their  future  work.  They  will  not  thank  you 
for  being  easy  with  them.  They  are  here  for  hard  work,  and 
will  thank  you  for  letting  them  make  their  share  of  mistakes 
here,  where  it  does  not  make  much  difference,  rather  than 
leave  them  to  make  their  blunders  in  the  midst  of  humiliation 
and  trouble.  The  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati,  and  the  Synod  of 
Ohio,and  the  General  Assembly,ought  to  meet  in  this  building 
every  month,  with  these  students  as  the  members  thereof  In 
this  way  they  will  become  familiar  with  the  Form  of  Govern- 
ment and  Book  of  Discipline,  and  especially  with  the  Rules 
for  Judicatories. 

Theoretical  mathematics  and  theoretical  chemistry  are  most 
interesting  studies,  but  it  is  applied  mathematics  and  applied 
chemistry  that  command  the  highest  price  in  the  world's  mar- 
ket and  are  of  most  use  to  men.  So  theoretical  theology  is  a 
most  profound,  interesting  and  inexhaustible  study;  but  it  is 
theology  applied  to  the  heart  by  the  Spirit,  and  preaching 
applied  under  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  the 
Church  wants  of  the  ministry,  and  which  the  world  most 
sorely  needs  at  its  hands. 

In  all  this  I  have  assumed  your  ample  knowledge.  I  have 
assumed  the  piety  and  faith  of  your  students,  as  well  as  of 
yourself;  I  have  assumed  your  helplessness  and  theirs  for  the 
work  to  which  you  address  yourselves;  but  I  have  also 
assumed  the  truth  of  God's  promises,  that  his  Holy  Spirit 
shall  supply  all  your  need  and  theirs  by  his  grace.  What  I 
have  said  proceeds  on  the  truth  of  all  this,  and  has  touched 
only  the  practical  outcome  and  work  of  this  professorship  of 
Practical  Theology.  I  beg  to  assure  you  not  only  of  my  per- 
sonal friendship,  but  also  of  the  confidence  and  sympathy  of 
the  Trustees,  and  of  all  the  ministers  and  Christians  of  this 
region.      May  God  bless  you  always. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS 


Kev.  WM.  H.  ROBERTS,  D.  D. 


The  most  expressive  of  all  the  terms  employed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, to  represent  the  relation  which  Christ  sustains  to  his 
Church,  is  the  one  in  which  he  is  called  "the  Head  of  the 
body."  The  head  is  the  seat  of  life,  intelligence,  volition, 
control ;  the  body  is  a  system  of  members  harmoniously  re- 
lated each  to  the  other,  and  all  in  communication  with  the 
head.  From  the  head,  further,  through  the  agency  of  the 
mysterious  bond  which  unites  mind  with  matter,  and  along  un- 
seen channels,  flows  the  power  which  silently,  graciously  and 
effectively  controls  the  body.  Fitting  analogy  this  to  set  forth 
the  nature  of  the  influence  and  control  of  Christ  over  his 
Church.  His  relation  to  his  people  is  of  such  a  nature  that 
it  can  be  said,  "Who  is  our  life;"  "Ye  have  the  mind  of 
Christ;"  "He  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do ;  "  "I  can 
do  all  things  through  Christ  who  strengtheneth  me."  And  the 
pathos  of  the  figure  deepens  as  we  think  upon  the  character  of 
the  divine  energy,  which,  operating  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  through 
the  mystical  union  which  unites  Christ  and  the  believer,  exer- 
cises a  control  at  once  unseen  and  positive,  silent  and  all-pene- 
trating,   strong   yet   tender,    irresistible   yet   gracious,    and   the 


12  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

harmony  of  whose  efficient  operations  clearly  evidences  that, 
*  "  He  is  the  Head  over  all  things  to  the  Church." 

The  theme  which  we  propose  to  consider  is,  the  Headship  of 
Christ  as  it  affects  the  office,  work  and  spirit  of  the  Christian 
minister. 

A  discussion  of  this  vital  Christian  doctrine,  in  its  relation 
to  the  minister,  involves  attention  primarily  to  certain  cardinal 
factors. 

First  of  these  is,  the  supreme  and  peculiar  authority  of  Jesus 
Christ.  By  virtue  of  his  inherent  divine  nature  Christ  is  Head 
over  all  things.  In  respect  to  power  he  is  Alpha  and  Omega, 
the  beginning  and  the  ending.  Where  he  is  first  there  can  be 
no  second. 

But  Christ  is  not  only  the  head  over  all  things,  by  virtue  of 
his  divine  nature,  but  also  Head  over  all  things  to  the  Church, 
by  virtue  of  his  mediatorial  work.  It  was  as  the  divine  medi- 
ator between  God  and  man  that  he  came  into  a  saving  and 
sovereign  relation  to  a  sinful  world.  Though  "upholding  all 
things  by  the  word  of  his  power,"  yet  was  it  needful  that  he 
should  by  himself  purge  away  sin  ere  he  could  "sit  down  on 
the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high."t  He  secured  upon  the 
cross  the  right  of  his  investiture  as  the  king  of  redemption. 
The  wood  of  the  accursed  tree  is  the  symbol  at  once  of  the 
obligation  to  implicit  obedience,  which  binds  tiiose  who  are 
not  their  own  because  they  have  been  bought  with  a  price,  and 
of  the  peculiar  authority  over  them  of  him  who  purchased  them 
with  his  own  blood.      Christians  are  the  property  of  Christ. 

The  second  factor  involves  the  statement  of  the  particulars 
in  which  Christ  exercises  his  supreme  and  peculiar  authority 
over  the  Church.  The  particulars  of  the  mediatorial  sover- 
eignty of  Christ  are  determined  by  the  needs  of  man.  Man 
has  lost  the  image  of  God  in  knowledge,  righteousness  and 
holiness.  In  spiritual  relations  he  is  ignorant,  sinful,  depraved. 
His  needs  are  instruction,  atonement,  control.  It  is  the  office 
of  a  prophet  to  instruct,  of  a  priest  to  make  reconciHation  for 
sin,  of  a  king  to  rule.      Christ  executes  the  office  of  a  prophet, 

*Ephesians  i.  22.      f  Hebrews  i.  3. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  13 


"in  his  revealing  to  the  Church  in  all  ages  the  whole  will  of 
God;"  of  a  priest,  "in  his  once  offering  himself  a  sacrifice  to 
be  a  reconciliation  for  the  sins  of  his  people,  and  in  his  contin- 
ually making  intercession  for  them ;  "  of  a  king,  "in  his  calling 
out  of  the  world  a  people  to  himself,  and  giving  them  officers, 
laws  and  censures,  by  which  he  visibly  governs  them."* 
Christ  is  the  head  over  all  things  to  his  Church  in  instruction, 
worship  and  rule.  His  Headship  is  conterminous  with  his 
mediatorial  work  as  Prophet,  Priest  and  King. 

The  third  factor  is  the  existence  in  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  of 
a  class  of  officers,  called  in  our  Standards  bishops  or  pastors, 
given  to  the  Church  by  her  King,  "For  the  perfecting  of  the 
saints,  for  the  ministry  of  the  word,  for  the  edifying  of  the 
body  of  Christ,  "t  These  officers  many  hold  to  be  peculiarly 
the  representatives  of  Christ  in  his  kingdom.  We  so  regard 
them ;  and  further,  believe  that  the  Headship  of  Christ  vitally 
affects  the  original  and  nature  of  their  office,  limits  their  powers 
and  defines  their  duties. 

Our  subject,  it  may  be  here  remarked  with  propriety,  sug- 
gests the  source  of  true  unity  between  the  main  divisions  of 
that  department  of  instruction  in  this  Theological  Seminary,  to 
the  duties  of  which  I  have  been  called  in  the  providence  of 
God.  Practical  Theology,  with  all  other  theology,  can  be 
treated  as  Christocentric.  However  it  may  be  defined,  and 
whatever  as  a  result  it  may  be  regarded  as  including,  it  does 
include  the  consideration  of  the  office  and  work  of  the  Christian 
minister.  Further,  in  dealing  theoretically  or  practically  with 
the  original,  the  powers  and  the  duties  of  the  ministry,  the 
obligation  to  discover  a  principle  of  unity  is  urgent  upon  all 
thinkers,  and  it  is  believed  that  it  will  be  found  in  the  offices 
of  Christ  as  the  mediatorial  Head  of  the  Church.  The  office, 
powers  and  duty  of  the  ministry,  may  be  all  placed  in  relation 
to  the  three  particulars  in  which  his  Headship  is  made  evident, 
viz.:  instruction,  worship  and  rule.  The  work  of  a  professor 
of  Practical  Theology  involves  that  these  several  ideas  are  to 
be  treated  from  a  homiletical,  a  liturgical  and  a  governmental 

*  Larger  Catechism,  Questions  43,  44  and  45.      tEphesians  iv.  12. 


14  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


standpoint,  thus  giving  rise  to  the  departments  of  Homiletics, 
Liturgies  and  Church  Government: — 

The  first,  Homiletics  deahng  with  the  proclamation  of  divine 
truth  by  duly  authorized  persons. 

The  second,  Liturgies  dealing  with  the  acceptable  worship 
of  God,  both  as  to  principles,  persons,  methods,  forms  and 
spirit. 

The  third,  Church  Government  dealing  with  the  principles 
controlling,  and  the  duties  involved  in,  the  administration  of 
the  interests  of  the  Kingdom  of  Christ,  the  care  of  souls,  the 
direction  of  church  work,  the  exercise  of  discipline,  the  right 
ordering  of  church  affairs,  the  determination  of  questions  of 
polity  and  the  work  of  missions. 

This  triple  order  finds  a  counterpart  in  the  subordinate 
standards  of  the  Presbyterian  churches:  first,  the  Confession 
of  Faith  and  the  Catechisms  as  containing  truth  to  be  believed ; 
second,  the  Directory,  as  indicating  the  principles,  duty  and 
particulars  of  true  worship  ;  third,  the  Form  of  Government 
and  the  Book  of  Discipline,  as  setting  forth  the  nature,  pur- 
poses and  methods  of  the  administration  of  government.  And 
it  finds  both  counterpart  and  warrant  in  the  Prophetic,  the 
Priestly  and  the  Kingly  offices  of  Christ.  Without  Christ,  the 
Head,  the  office  of  the  minister,  whether  viewed  from  the 
standpoint  of  theory  or  practice,  from  the  professor's  chair  or 
from  the  pulpit,  lacks  unity,  warrant  and  authority  alike  in  its 
original,  its  powers  and  its  duties. 

I.       THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTER. 

Consider  first,  therefore,  the  Headship  of  Christ  as  it  affects 
the  office  of  the  Christian  minister.  There  is  general  consent 
on  the  part  of  all  claiming  to  be  Christians  to  the  truth  that  no 
man  can  make  himself  a  minister.  How,  then,  are  ministers 
made  ?  Not  in  theological  seminaries,  nor  by  presbyteries, 
for  true  ministers  are  "  neither  of  men  nor  by  man,  but  by  Jesus 
Christ."*  There  is  in  this  particular  a  common  agreement 
among  evangelical  Christians.     They  all  maintain  that  no  man 

*  Galatianb  i.  i. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  15 


is  in  verity  a  minister  of  Christ  who  has  not  heard  the  Master's 
voice  saying,  "  Follow  thou  me."  The  divine  call,  however, 
is  but  one  element  in  the  constituting  a  man  a  minister  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Other  elements  enter  necessarily  into  the  question, 
one  of  which  is,  the  act  of  formal  investiture  with  the  office. 
And  the  act  of  ordination,  as  to  its  meaning,  has  given  rise  to 
differences  of  view  vital  in  their  character,  and  affecting  seri- 
ously the  nature  of  the  ministerial  office. 

Three  views  of  ordination  in  general  prevail,  with  modifica- 
tions. One  of  these  may  be  called  the  independent  view, 
another  the  hierarchical,  a  third  the  evangelical. 

The  first,  the  independent  view,  in  its  extreme  form,  makes 
election  by  the  members  of  a  particular  church  an  indispens- 
able requisite  to  the  ordination  of  a  minister,  and  permits  them, 
if  the  necessity  arises,  to  set  him  apart  to  his  office.  This 
view,  however,  is  less  prevalent  now  than  formerly,  and  con- 
founds two  different  questions  the  one  with  the  other,  "What 
makes  a  minister?"  with  "Where  shall  a  minister  exercise  his 
office?"  We  dismiss  it  from  consideration,  with  the  statement 
that  it  makes  the  people,  the  subjects  of  the  Church-kingdom 
the  source  of  authority  therein,  reduces  the  minister  to  the 
position  of  a  church-member,  and  makes  the  Church  to  be 
governmentally  what  scripturally  it  is  not,  a  pure  democracy. 
The  latter  the  Church  can  not  be  so  long  as  Christ  remains  a 
prophetical  and  priestly  King  upon  his  throne. 

The  hierarchical  view  involves  the  following  things:  that 
the  ministry  is  composed  of  three  orders  or  classes,  bishops, 
presbyters  and  deacons ;  that  the  bishops  are  successors  of  the 
apostles,  and  possess,  miraculous  gifts  excepted,  the  same 
authority  and  power;  that  bishops  alone  are  qualified  to  ordain 
themselves  and  other  ministers;  that  this  Episcopal  ordination 
conveys  a  grace  of  orders ;  that  this  grace  can  be  communi- 
cated only  by  a  bishop ;  that  the  recipients  of  this  grace  are 
the  one  bond  of  union  between  Christ  and  his  Church,  and  the 
sole  channels  through  which  the  benefits  of  his  death  and  life 
are  communicated  to  men.  According  to  this  view  the  author- 
ity of  church-officers,  the  Christian  character  of  ministers  and 


1 6  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

churches,  the  efficacy  of  the  sacraments,  the  salvation  of  souls, 
and  the  communication  of  divine  grace  in  regeneration,  justifi- 
cation and  sanctification,  are  all  dependent  upon  the  acts  of 
men.  It  teaches  clearly  that  where  there  is  no  bishop,  there 
is  neither  church,  ministers,  sacraments  nor  salvation.  Epis- 
copal ordination  is  the  source  of  all  authority,  all  power,  all 
grace,  to  the  Church  in  general,  and,  also,  to  the  souls  of  men. 

In  confirmation  of  the  accuracy  of  this  representation  of  the 
hierarchical  view,  the  following  quotation  is  submitted  from  an 
authoritative  Anglican  work  on  the  Church.  The  author,  writ- 
ing of  the  Presbyterians  of  Scotland,  and  of  their  rejection  of 
Episcopacy,  says:  "All  the  temporal  enactments  and  powers 
of  the  whole  world  could  not  cure  this  fault,  nor  render  them 
a  portion  of  the  Church  of  Christ."  "They  and  their  genera- 
tions are  as  the  heathen;  and  though  we  may  have  reason  to 
believe  that  many  of  their  descendants  are  not  obstinate  in 
their  errors,  still  it  seems  to  me  that  we  are  not  warranted  in 
affirming  absolutely  that  they  can  be  saved."* 

This  view,  in  all  that  it  involves,  is  not  accepted  by  some 
Episcopal  ministers.  These,  however,  are  most  unfortunate  in 
the  company  they  keep.  High-church  views  dominate  in  their 
Communion,  and  control  both  law  and  usage.  The  Protestant 
Episcopal  Body  never  has  received,  and  will  not  now  receive, 
a  minister  from  another  Protestant  Church,  and  accredit  him  as 
a  minister  of  said  Body,  unless  he  be  first  received  as  a  church- 
member,  and  then  be  reordained  as  a  minister  by  one  of  their 
bishops.  But  in  cases  where  Romish  priests  have  applied  to 
be  received  by  that  Body,  so  far  as  we  have  knowledge,  they 
have  never  been  reordained.  According  to  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Body,  therefore,  Romish  ordination  does  confer  upon  its 
subjects  a  ministerial  character  which  Protestant  ministers  do 
not  possess,  and  for  which  reason  the  latter  are  not,  and  can' 
not  be,  recognized  as  Christian  ministers  by  Episcopalian  clergy- 
men. Indeed,  this  hierarchical  view  is  fundamental  to  the  law 
and  usage  of  all  the  prelatical  Communions.  Greek,  Roman 
and  Anglican   ministers  are  controlled  in  conduct  by  it,  and 

*  Palmer,  "The  Church,"  Vol.  II. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  17 

can  not  logically  avoid  acceptance  of  its  consequences — the 
denial  of  the  Christian  character  of  Protestant  churches,  minis- 
ters, sacraments  and  church-members.  •  Further,  special  atten- 
tion has  recently  been  called  to  this  view  by  the  proposition 
made  by  Protestant  Episcopalians,  to  unite  American  Protest- 
ants in  one  Church,  upon  a  basis  involving  the  acceptance  by 
non-Episcopal  ministers  of  Episcopal  ordination.  But  the 
acceptance  of  such  ordination  involves  the  acceptance  of  all 
that  it  involves,  both  practically  and  doctrinally.  Concisely 
put,  doctrinally  it  involves,  manward,  the  claim  on  the  part  of 
the  minister  to  be  the  sole  channel  of  saving  grace;  Christ- 
ward,  that  even  the  gracious  power  of  the  Redeemer  may  not 
operate  unto  salvation,  except  in  and  through  a  bishop.  Min- 
isterial power  is  made  by  it  not  derived,  but  absolute ;  not 
declarative,  but  operative.  To  the  supreme  question  of  a 
struggling  soul,  "What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved?"  it  answers  by 
pointing,  not  to  Christ,  not  even  to  the  Church  as  some  allege, 
but  to  a  man.  For  the  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures, 
"By  faith  ye  are  saved,"  it  substitutes  a  belief  in  the  saving 
power  of  an  irresistible  grace,  resident  in,  controlled  by  and 
communicated  through  the  hand  of  a  prelatical  bishop. 

How  will  such  an  ordination, '  'actual"  or  '  'hypothetical, "  com- 
mend itself  to  Presbyterian  ministers  and  churches?  Through 
the  centuries,  the  Headship  of  Christ  has  been  to  them  a  centre 
of  faith,  love  and  devotion.  Our  spiritual  fathers  dared  even 
to  die,  rather  than  consent  to  the  alteration  of  one  clause  of 
Christ's  covenant  or  permit  the  abstraction  of  one  jewel  from 
his  crown.  Their  heirs  are  invited,  forsooth,  to  unite  with 
The  Church  by  accepting  prelatical  ordination.  But  this  means, 
from  the  evangelical  view-point,  to  dethrone  Christ,  change  his 
truth,  and  transfer  the  crown,  the  symbol  of  his  supreme  author- 
ity, from  his  dear,  thorn-pierced  brow,  for  the  adornment  of  the 
heads  of  fallible  and  sinful  men.  To  the  Episcopal  invitation 
but  one  answer  is  possible,  a  courteous  "Tliank  }'ou  !  "  fol- 
lowed by  a  resolute  "No."  Loyalty  not  only  to  our  historic 
past,  but,  above  all,  to  Christ  as  the  Head  of  the  Church,  for- 
bids any  other  response. 


1 8  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

Moreover,  as  we  think  on  the  prelatical  claim  and  its  attend- 
ant teachings,  across  the  chasm  of  centuries  separating  between 
us  and  apostoHc  times,  comes  the  voice  of  that  apostle  who 
"labored  more  abundantly  than  they  all."*  In  Corinth,  as  in 
Galatia,  he  encountered  opposition  from  those  who  strenuously 
denied  his  claim  to  be  an  apostle,  and  virtually  upon  the  ground 
upon  which  is  based,  in  the  present,  denial  of  the  ministerial 
character  of  the  great  majority  of  the  Christian  ministers  in  the 
United  States,  not  to  speak  of  other  countries.  The  scriptural 
evidence  is  clear,  that  Paul's  opponents  in  Corinth  asserted,  that 
he  had  not  been  commissioned  for  his  w^ork  by  due  human 
authority.  Against  this  charge  he  appealed  to  the  Corinthians, 
saying:  "If  I  be  not  an  apostle  unto  others,  yet  doubtless  I 
am  to  you :  for  the  seal  of  mine  apostleship  are  ye  in  the  Lord,  "f 
Is  the  seal  of  the  ministry,  souls  saved  and  saints  edified?  Then, 
indeed,  does  the  Episcopal  claim  become  as  nothing,  in  the 
presence  of  the  gracious  dispensations  of  God,  during  the  past 
century,  toward  the  evangelical  churches  both  in  Great  Britain 
and  America.  In  the  eighteenth  century,  the  Anglican  Church 
repelled  from  her  Communion  a  body  of  fervent  Christians 
called  by  her  contemptuously,  "Methodists."  In  the  preced- 
ing century,  she  laid  the  heavy  hand  of  persecution  throughout 
Britain  upon  those  whom  her  prelates  called  "Dissenters." 
To-day,  the  Methodists  alone,  in  this  land,  outnumber  the 
Anglicans  seven  to  one;  and  "dissenters"  in  the  English- 
speaking  world  have  increased,  in  the  period  between  1700 
and  1886,  from  about  four  to  seventy  per  cent,  of  the  total 
population.  Assuredly,  evangelical  ministers,  as  they  survey 
the  multitudes  whom  God  in  Christ  has  committed  to  their 
charge,  may  exclaim:  "If  we  be  not  ministers  unto  others, 
yet  doubtless  we  are  to  you  :  for  the  seal  of  our  ministry  are 
ye  in  the  Lord."  Further,  may  they  commend  to  the  bishops 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  for  their  imitation,  the 
example  of  certain  apostles  in  Jerusalem,  to  whom  Paul,  four- 
teen years  after  his  entrance  on  his  ministerial  labors,  "com- 
municated that  gospel  which  he  preached  among  the  Gentiles." 

*  I  Corint'nans  xv.  lo.       f  I  Corinthians  ix.  2. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  19 

The  record  reads,  "And  when  James,  Cephas,  and  John,  who 
seemed  to  be  pillars,  perceived  the  grace  that  was  given  unto 
me,  they  gave  to  me  and  Barnabas  the  right  hands  of  fellow- 
ship."* Whether,  however,  the  hierarchical  bishops  possess  the 
spirit  of  those  apostles,  whose  successors  they  claim  to  be,  is 
not,  as  yet,  evident.  Their  proposed  basis  for  the  union  of 
American  Protestants  would  rather  indicate  that  ' '  Ephraim  is 
joined  to  his  idols." 

The  evangelical  view  of  ordination,  and,  as  a  result,  of  the  • 
ministerial  office,  is  based  upon  the  scriptural  statement  that 
Christ  having  given  gifts  to  men,  gave  to  his  Church — "some, 
apostles;  and  some,  prophets;  and  some,  evangelists;  and 
some,  pastors  and  teachers;  for  the  work  of  the  ministry. "f 
Apostles,  prophets  and  evangelists  were  extraordinary  officers, 
whose  functions  have  long  since  ceased.  Pastors  and  teachers 
continue  to  the  present,  are  as  much  the  gifts  of  Christ  to  the 
Church  in  this  as  in  any  other  age,  and  are  in  the  Scriptures 
called  "ambassadors  for  Christ,"  "ministers  of  Christ,"  "min- 
isters of  the  word."  It  is  also  believed  that  their  duties  are 
prescribed  and  their  powers  defined  by  his  prerogatives.  The 
latter  statement  is  based  upon  the  following  considerations. 

The  duties  of  pastors  or  teachers  relate  to  instruction,  wor- 
ship and  rule.  These  three  things  also  indicate  the  sphere  of 
the  exercise  of  the  prerogatives  of  Christ  as  Prophet,  Priest 
and  King.  The  work  of  Christ  as  Mediator  is,  therefore,  con- 
terminous with  the  work  entrusted  to  his  ambassadors.  In 
how  far,  then,  does  Christ's  exercise  of  his  three  offices  define 
and  limit  the  authority  of  his  ambassadors?  The  answer  to 
this  question,  will  determine  the  nature  both  of  the  act  of  ordi- 
nation and  of  the  ministerial  office. 

Think  first,  then,  in  this  connection,  upon  the  prophetical 
office.  This  office,  as  a  means  for  the  revelation  of  the  will  of 
God  to  man,  has  long  ceased  to  exist  in  the  Church.  The  need 
for  it,  as  an  extraordinary  office,  came  to  an  end  when  the 
Canon  of  Scripture  was  closed.      In  the  Bible,  Christ  has  given 

*  Galatians  ii.  9.       |  Ephesians  iv.  n,  I2. 


20  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

to  his  Church  the  only  ride  of  faith,  he  is  now  the  sole  Prophet 
of  his  people.  Such  being  the  case,  ministers  can  not  be  what 
the  prophets  of  old  were — infallible  teachers.  Their  work  is 
limited,  by  Christ's  sole  exercise  of  the  prophetical  office,  to 
the  reverent  reception  of  the  Scriptures  as  the  Word  of  God, 
and  the  faithful  ministration  of  instruction  in  connection  there- 
with, either  by  preaching  or  teaching. 

Take  next  the  priestly  office.  Like  the  prophetical,  the 
priestly  office  has  ceased  to  be  exercised  by  men.  The  name 
priest  nowhere  occurs  in  the  New  Testament  as  the  designation 
of  a  Christian  church-officer.  Priests  there  were  under  the 
Old  Testament  Dispensation,  who  offered  sacrifices  for  the  sins 
of  the  people  ;  but  priests  and  sacrifices  were  both  typical  of 
Christ,  and  both  ceased  to  be  of  value  with  his  sacrificial  death 
upon  Calvary.  Because  Christ  has  appeared  "once  to  put 
away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,"  therefore  all  human  priest- 
hood has  come  to  an  end.  The  sole  exercise  by  Christ  of  the 
priestly  office,  necessitates  that  those  who  are  his  representa- 
tives, in  connection  with  the  worship  of  God,  shall  offer  neither 
sacrifice  for  sin,  nor  assume  any  priestly  authority,  nor  claim 
the  ministration  of  grace.  They  possess  no  priestly  preroga- 
tives. As  they  stand  in  the  great  congregation,  they  are 
simply  leaders  of  the  people  in  worship — pointing  to  Christ  as 
the  all  sufficient  atonement  for  sin,  the  only  prevailing  inter- 
cessor with  God,  the  one  source  from  which  divine  grace  can 
flow  into  weak  and  sinful  souls. 

Consider,  further,  the  kingly  office.  None  but  the  man  of  sin 
has  dared  to  sit,  as  God,  in  the  temple  of  God.  And,  whatever 
encroachments  others  than  he  may  have  made  on  Christ's  pre- 
rogatives, it  suffices  to  point  out  that  the  exercise  by  Christ  of  his 
crown-rights  limits  the  powers  of  his  ambassadors,  in  such  wise, 
that  they  can  not  regard  themselves,  in  any  particular,  as  lords 
over  God's  heritage.  Because  Christ  is  King,  and  has  given  to 
men,  in  the  Scriptures,  a  rule  of  practice  as  well  as  a  rule  of 
faith,  therefore,  neither  ministers  nor  churches,  of  themselves, 
can  promulgate  new  terms  of  church  membership  or  of  com- 
munion, or  exercise   aught  of  legislative  power.     Their  power 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  21 

is  declarative  solely,  of  laws  already  existent  and  truths  declared 
by  the  authority  of  the  mediatorial  King. 

We  reach,  then,  the  following  conclusions  in  relation  to  the 
oflfice  of  the  Christian  minister:  that  those  who  occupy  it  are 
Christ's  representatives,  his  ambassadors  to  men;  that  its  duties 
are  indicated  by  the  particulars  in  which  he  exercises  his  media- 
torial authority — instruction,  worship  and  rule;  that  his  Head- 
ship as  Prophet,  Priest  and  King  makes  the  power  of  the  minister 
not  absolute,  but  relative,  not  operative  and  legislative,  but 
declarative.  The  Christian  minister  is  not  a  mediator  between 
God  and  man.  He  is  neither  an  infallible  teacher,  nor  a  priest 
to  forgive  sin  and  dispense  grace,  nor  a  ruler  with  an  inherent 
authority.  In  his  office  and  work  he  is  simply  the  servant  of 
Christ,  bound  to  carry  out  the  supreme  Avill  of  the  Head  of  the 
Church  in  all  matters  of  faith,  worship  and  rule. 

Again,  inasmuch  as  the  nature  of  the  ministerial  office  is 
relative  and  representative,  the  supreme  element  in  the  making 
one  a  minister  is  the  divine  call.  No  man  should  be  permitted 
to  become  a  candidate  for  that  office,  which  is  representative 
of  Christ,  unless  he  can  unequivocally  declare  that  he  believes 
himsQlf  called  thereto  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Moreover,  it  follows  that  the  nature  of  the  ministerial  office, 
as  relative  and  representative,  gives  a  like  character  to  the  act  of 
ordination.  That  act  is  simply  the  outward  and  public  recog- 
nition of  a  private  and  inward  call  given  to  a  man,  through  the 
Holy  Ghost,  to  be  a  minister  of  Christ.  The  laying  on  of  the 
hands  of  ministers  in  the  presbytery,  conveys  no  grace  and 
confers  no  mediatorial  power.  Whatever  of  efficacy  ministe- 
rial ordination  may  have  Christward,  depends  upon  the  state  of 
the  heart  of  the  person  ordained ;  from  the  human  side,  it  is 
but  the  act  of  formal  investiture  with  an  office.  And  while  the 
Church  has  the  right,  through  her  officers,  to  judge  of  minis- 
terial qualifications ;  while  the  members  of  particular  churches 
can  decide  the  question  whether  a  minister  shall  exercise  his 
office  in  a  pastoral  relation ;  yet  these  things  are  incidental,  not 
fundamental.  The  relation  of  church-officers  other  than  min- 
isters,   and    of  church-members,   to   the    ministerial   office,    is 


22  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


simply  in  the  line  of  approval  of  qualifications.  To  the  true 
minister,  Christ  is  all  in  all ;  for  from  him  come  the  call,  com- 
mission, authority,  grace  according  to  the  need,  the  indication 
of  what  duty  is,  and  where  and  how  it  is  to  be  performed. 
The  Christian  minister  is,  in  a  marked  sense,  the  ambassador  of 
Christ. 

The  ambassadorial  character  of  the  minister  is  an  aid  to  the 
decision  of  a  question  at  present  before  the  Church,  that  of  the 
nature  and  functions  of  the  office  of  ruling  elder,  as  distinct 
from  the  office  of  the  Christian  minister.  We  do  not  propose 
to  discuss  the  Ruling-Elder-Moderator  Overture.  Further, 
the  office  of  the  ruling  elder  is  deservedly  in  high  esteem, 
and  its  value  and  importance  to  tb.e  churches  can  not  be  too 
much  emphasized.  But  certain  claims  have  been  made  for 
that  office,  and  in  connection  with  the  Overture  referred  to, 
which  seem  to  us  to  be  non-scriptural  as  well  as  extra-constitu- 
tional. We  present  therefore,  in  brief  form,  what  we  think  to 
be  the  truth  concerning  the  offices  respectively  of  the  ruling 
elder  and  the  ministerial  elder,  in  order  to  show  the  relation 
of  the  minister,  as  an  elder,  to  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ  as 
sole  King  in  his  Church. 

That  ruling  elders  fill  an  ancient  and  honorable  office  in  the 
Church  of  God,  is  clearly  shown  in  the  Scriptures.  We  find 
them  mentioned  in  Mosaic  times,  and  then  acting,  whatever 
their  authority,  as  representatives  of  the  people.  Reference 
to  Jewish  writers  will  show  that  they  exercised  the  same  office 
in  the  synagogue,  and  in  the  same  representative  capacity. 
Naturally,  we  find  mention  made  of  them  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and,  again,  in  connection  with  rule  in  the  house  of  God. 
Our  own  Church,  in  her  Form  of  Government,  speaks  of 
them  as  one  of  the  three  classes  of  ordained  and  permanent 
officers  in  the  Church,  and  distinctly  calls  them,  in  accordance 
with  the  most  ancient  usage,  representatives  of  the  people. 

There  are  persons  who,  in  all  sincerity,  hold  views  opposed  to 
those  set  forth  in  this  matter  in  our  Form  of  Government. 
Church-officers  they  maintain  are  only  of  two  classes,  elders 
and  deacons;  and  elders  are  of  two  sorts,  teaching  elders  and 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  23 


ruling  elders.  It  is  also  insisted  that  the  latter  distinction  did 
not  prevail  in  the  Apostolic  Church,  and  that  a  return  to  her 
practice  would  give  to  all  elders,  the  right  to  preach  and  to 
lead  in  worship,  as  well  as  to  rule.  In  short,  it  is  claimed  that 
the  designation  by  our  Standards  of  ordained  church-officers  as 
of  three  classes,  pastors,  ruling  elders  and  deacons,  is  unwar- 
ranted because  non-scriptural. 

Let  us  appeal,  therefore,  to  the  supreme  authority  in  practice 
as  well  as  in  faith.  As  already  indicated,  the  Scriptures  evi- 
dence that  the  function  of  elders  in  the  Old  Testament  Church 
was  that  of  rule,  and  that  they  were  the  representatives  of  the 
people.  It  is  clear,  also,  that  they  were  neither  prophets  nor 
priests.  Where  in  the  New  Testament  is  there  evidence  that 
their  functions  were  so  enlarged,  that  they  could  add  to  the 
function  of  rule  those  functions  relating  to  instruction  and  wor- 
ship. The  references  further  to  the  office  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment are  few,  and  are  directly  capable  of  an  interpretation 
limited  to  oversight  and  ordinary  Christian  duty,  or  to  minis- 
terial elders.  In  confirmation  of  this  view  we  lay  stress  upon 
the  fact  that  nowhere  in  the  Scriptures  is  it  said  that  Christ 
gave  elders,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  he  is  said  to  have 
given  pastors  and  teachers,  neither  that  he  gave  elders  "for 
the  ministry  of  the  word,"  nor  that  he  commissioned  them  as 
his  ambassadors.  Moreover,  Timothy,  who  is  never  called  an 
elder,  but  always  a  minister,  an  evangelist  and  a  man  of  God, 
was  charged  by  Paul  "to  put  the  brethren  in  remembrance,  as 
a  good  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,"*  of  the  qualifications  of  the 
elder's  office.  Timothy  then,  as  a  minister,  must  have  received 
authority  to  act  in  the  ordination  of  elders  in  like  manner  as 
Presbyterian  ministers  do  at  present,  for  in  matters  of  rule 
power  goes  hand  in  hand  with  responsibility.  Again,  Titus, 
who  also  is  never  called  an  elder,  "ordained  elders  in  every 
city,"t  by  virtue  of  an  authority  delegated  by  the  apostle  Paul. 
How  could  Paul  delegate  an  authority  which  he  did  not  possess? 
or,  how  could  Titus  be  commissioned  to  ordain  elders  unless  he 
was  himself  a  ruler  as  well  as  a  preacher,  and  as  a  ruler  rep- 

*  I  Timothy  iv.  6.      f  Titus  i.  5. 


24  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

resentative  of  the  only  source  of  authority  in  the  Church, 
Christ  the  King?  Further,  the  pecuHar  case  of  Peter,  who, 
being  an  apostle,  yet  calls  himself  an  elder,*  casts  light  upon 
the  question  at  issue.  Was  Peter,  as  an  elder,  a  representa- 
tive of  the  people?  Was  he  ordained  by  Paul  or  Titus  to  the 
oversight  of  some  particular  church?  The  very  supposition 
is  an  absurdity.  But  the  fact  of  his  use  of  the  term,  as  ex- 
pressive of  a  relation  in  which  he  stood  to  the  Church  as  a 
ruler,  is  suggestive  of  the  prevalent  usage  among  primitive 
Christians.  We  maintain  that  Scripture  indicates  that  the 
Apostolic  Church  had,  as  our  own  has,  rulers  who,  while  they 
possessed  in  common  the  administrative  function,  yet  differed 
in  the  origin  of  their  authority,  some  of  them  as  rulers  being 
representative  of  the  interests  of  Christ  in  his  Kingdom,  others 
being  representatives  of  the  people.  That  such  a  distinction 
prevailed,  is  also  shown  by  the  fact  that  Timothy  was  ordained 
by  a  presbytery,  f  i.  e. ,  by  a  number  of  elders  gathered  in 
formal  session,  for  the  transaction  of  ecclesiastical  affairs,  Paul 
it  is  likely  being  himself  present ;  while  Titus,  who  belonged 
to  the  same  class  of  rulers  with  Timothy,  as  already  stated, 
received  power  independently  of  any  presbytery,  to  ordain 
elders  in  every  city.  Two  sorts  of  ordination,  one  by  a  pres- 
bytery, the  other  by  an  individual,  indicate  two  classes  of 
rulers.  This  view  is  further  borne  out  by  the  passage  in  Tim- 
othy which  speaks  of  one  class  of  elders  as  ruling  well,  and 
also  laboring  in  the  word  and  doctrine. J  And  this  view  seems 
to  be  in  harmony,  not  only  with  Old  Testament  and  Apostolic 
usage,  but  also  with  the  exercise  by  Christ  in  his  Kingdom  of 
his  Headship  as  Prophet,  Priest  and  King. 

Because  Christ  is  King,  therefore,  do  ministers  rule  in  the 
Church.  They  are,  as  the  W^estminster  divines  declared,  officers 
of  the  Church  Universal;  not  like  ruling  elders,  officers  of  a 
particular  church.  ||  Particular  churches,  strictly  speaking, 
have  but  two  classes  of  officers,  ruling  elders  and  deacons;  it  is 
the  Church  in  general  which  possesses  now,  as  in  the  Apostolic 

*  I  Peter  v.  i.      f  i  Timothy  iv.  14.      %  i  Timothy  v.  17. 

I  See  "  The  Divine  Right  of  the  Gospel  Ministry,"  London,  1654. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  25 


age,  the  third  class,  viz. :  ministers.  Further,  that  ministers  are 
preachers  as  well  as  presbyters  or  elders,  does  not  imply  that 
all  who  bear  the  name  of  elder  ought  to  preach,  any  more 
than  because  Peter  called  himself  an  elder,  therefore,  all 
elders  in  the  Primitive  Church  had  a  right  to  the  office  and 
work  of  an  apostle.  The  term  elder,  as  indicative  of  an  office, 
implies  that  one  is  a  ruler,  and  nothing  more.  Elders  as 
elders,  whether  they  be  ministerial  elders  or  ruling  elders, 
have  not,  because  they  are  elders,  the  right  to  preach  or  to 
administer  the  sacraments.  The  function  of  the  minister  in 
relation  to  instruction  and  worship,  is  absolutely  distinct  from 
his  function  in  relation  to  rule.  He  is  not  what  some  persons 
would  have  us  believe,  simply  an  elder,  to  whom,  for  conven- 
ience' sake,  men  have  assigned  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel. 
As  a  preacher,  his  work  from  the  beginning,  has  been  assigned 
to  him  by  the  Church's  King.  The  minister  is  a  presbyter  or 
elder,  and  he  is  in  addition  a  leader  in  worship  and'a  preacher. 
In  all  his  work  further  is  he  the  ambassador  of  Christ  the  Head. 
Neither  in  Scripture,  in  the  law  of  the  Church,  nor,  above  all, 
in  the  Headship  of  Christ,  is  there  a  warrant  for  the  exercise 
by  those  elders  who  are  representatives  of  the  people,  of  any 
other  function  tha,n  that  of  rule  conjointly  with  ministers. 
Only  those  elders  who  are  also  ambassadors  for  Christ  can 
administer  the  sacraments  or  "preach  the  word;"  and  they 
alone,  also,  because  they  are,  as  rulers,  representative  of  the 
Head  of  the  Church,  can  publicly  pronounce  against  offenders 
sentences  of  suspension  or  of  excommunication. 

The  conclusions  thus  reached  are  not  only  in  harmony  with 
the  practice  of  our  own  Church,  but  also  of  the  Church  of 
Scotland.  We  quote  from  the  Second  Scotch  Book  of  Disci- 
pline, Chapter  VI.,  "Of  Elders,"  Sections  i,  2  and  9:  "When 
it  [the  name  of  elder]  is  the  name  of  an  office,  sometimes  it  is 
taken  largely,  comprehending-  as  well  the  pastors  and  doctors, 
as  them  who  are  called  seniors  or  elders."  "It  is  not  neces- 
sary that  all  elders  be  also  teachers  of  the  word,  albeit  the 
chief  ought  to  be  such,  and  such  as  are  worthy  of  double 
honor."      "Their  principal  office  is  to  hold  assemblies  with  the 


:26  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

pastors  and  doctors,  who  are  also  of  their  number."  We  quote 
also  Chapter  IV.,  "Of  Pastors, "  Sections  7,  8  and  12:  "Unto 
the  pastors  only  appertains  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments, in  like  manner  as  the  administration  of  the  word." 
"It  appertains  by  the  same  reason  to  the  pastors  to  pray  for 
the  people."  "And  generally  all  public  denunciations  that 
are  to  be  made  in  the  kirk  before  the  congregation,  concerning 
the  ecclesiastical  affairs,  belong  to  the  ofifiice  of  a  minister;  for 
he  is  a  messenger  and  herald  betwixt  God  and  the  people  in 
all  these  affairs."  If  pastors  are  not  elders,  and,  in  addition, 
preachers  and  leaders  in  worship,  then  for  three  centuries  have 
Scotch  Presbyterians  been  mistaken  in  their  interpretation  of 
the  Scriptures.  Then  also,  is  the  statement  made  in  Chapter 
IV.  of  our  Form  of  Government  untrue,  "The  pastoral  office 
is  the  first  in  the  Church,  both  for  dignity  and  usefulness." 
But  we  believe  this  statement  to  be  the  truth,  and  upon  the 
authority  of  the  Word  of  God. 

II.       THE  WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTER. 

Consider,  next,  the  Headship  of  Christ  as  it  affects  the  work 
of  the  Christian  minister.  We  notice  only  matters  of  general 
and  present  interest. 

First,  think  of  the  minister  in  the  character  of  an  authorita- 
tive instructor  in  divine  truth.  In  order  to  clearness  of  thought 
in  this  connection,  we  here  remark  that  Christ's  prophetical 
office  was  exercised  under  the  Old  as  well  as  the  New  Dispen- 
sation. In  the  New  Testament  it  is  affirmed  that  prophets 
searched  to  know  "what  or  what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  which  was  in  them  did  signify,  when  it  testified  before- 
hand the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  the  glory  that  should  follow." 
The  prophets,  it  would  appear,  in  their  work  performed  a  double 
function.  In  their  relation  to  Christ  they  revealed  truth,  in 
their  relation  to  men  they  proclaimed  truth  and  sought  to  in- 
terpret it.  As  representatives  of  Christ  they  were  preachers 
as  well  as  prophets,  and,  therefore,  we  have  warrant  for  the 
belief  that  the  essential  element  in  the  work,  alike  of  ancient 
prophet  and  modern  preacher,  was  and  is  instruction  in  divine 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  27 

truth.  Never  has  Christ,  in  any  age,  been  unrepresented  by- 
authoritative  teachers  of  the  truth  revealed  through  his  Spirit 
to  men.  So  that  the  Christian  minister  stands  in  that  long  line 
of  servants  of  Christ,  who  have  been  in  all  ages  the  proclaimers 
and  interpreters  of  his  truth — a  line  which  eclipses  in  antiquity 
all  prelatic  pretensions,  and  runs  back  to  Noah  the  "preacher 
of  righteousness,"  and  Enoch  who  prophesied,  being  the 
seventh  from  Adam.  True  ministers,  however,  need  no  suc- 
cession, apostolic  or  otherwise,  to  warrant  their  authority  as 
teachers.  He  who  sends  them  forth  gives  them  both  their 
commission  and  their  message.  The  living  Head  of  the  Church, 
putting  to  one  side  prophet,  apostle  and  bishop,  speaks  to  each 
of  his  true  servants  saying,  "All  power  is  given  unto  me  in 
heaven  and  earth;  therefore,  go  teach." 

Teaching  in  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  Christ,  the 
Christian  minister  is  to  give  heed  to  the  source,  the  spirit  and 
the  method  of  his  instruction.  His  representative  character 
and  the  declarative  power  which  he  possesses  both  imply 
obligation  in  these  particulars. 

Because  the  Christian  minister  is  Christ's  representative, 
therefore  the  one  source  of  the  truth  which  he  teaches  is  the 
will  of  Christ  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures.  The  Bible  is,  of 
necessity,  his  text-book  and  guide-book.  He  should,  therefore, 
be  familiar  with  it  from  its  beginning  to  its  end,  for  it  contains 
all  the  various  elements  of  divine  truth,  in  such  relations,  pro- 
portions and  applications  as  are  needed  for  his  guidance  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties.  Upon  its  pages  human  nature  is  de- 
lineated as  it  lies  before  the  eyes  of  God;  sin  described  in  its 
particulars  with  unerring  accuracy;  the  things  which  men  must 
needs  know  in  connection  with  salvation  and  duty,  detailed  by 
an  omniscient  knowledge  transfused  with  infinite  love.  Further, 
the  servants  of  Christ  should  study  carefully  his  revealed  will, 
not  only  for  the  purposes  of  the  pulpit,  but  also  as  it  bears 
upon  their  whole  life  and  work.  It  contains  not  only  the  things 
already  indicated,  but,  in  addition,  the  commission  of  ministers, 
the  specifications  of  the  work  entrusted  to  them,  minute  direc- 
tions as  to  conduct,  and  a  varied  narrative  of  ministerial  ex- 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


periences,  the  life  of  the  Great  Teacher  included.  It  is  a 
notable  fact  that  the  Bible  is  largely  a  record  of  the  lives  of 
the  servants  of  God,  and  that  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
New  Testament  is  intended  primarily  for  ministers.  More 
attention,  therefore,  should  be  given  to  it  from  this  viewpoint, 
both  in  pastors'  studies  and  in  theological  seminaries. 

Next  to  thorough  familiarity  with  the  Bible,  the  minister's 
representative  character  involves  constant  recognition  of  it,  in 
all  his  instruction,  as  the  infallible  Word  of  God.  To  the 
minister  it  must  be  peculiarly  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice.  Its  themes  must  be  his  themes,  its  spirit  his  spirit. 
In  preaching  and  conduct  alike,  the  evidence  must  be  clear  that 
he  distinctly  realizes  that  it  is  not  himself  or  his  utterances,  but 
The  Book,  which  is  clothed  with  the  authority  of  Christ. 
Without  this  feeling  there  will  be  a  lack  of  power  in  all  the 
efforts  which  he  puts  forth.  With  it  he  will  experience  a  truth 
a  thousand  times  illustrated,  that  the  world  and  the  Church 
alike  honor,  not  the  man  with  mere  opinions,  but  the  man  with 
convictions.  One  man  with  convictions  is  worth  a  score  of 
men  with  opinions.  And  the  need  of  the  Church  and  the 
world  is  ever  this,  preachers  through  whose  preaching  runs,  the 
energy  of  an  unwavering  faith  in  the  absolute  truth  of  God's 
Word  written. 

Having  this  conviction  of  the  infallibility  of  the  Scriptures 
deep-grounded  in  his  mind  and  heart,  the  Christian  minister 
will  never  neglect  the  teaching  and  preaching  of  the  whole 
truth  of  God.  He  can  not  be  true  to  his  Lord  unless  he  de- 
livers his  entire  message.  Certain  forms  of  truth  seem,  at 
times,  to  be  unpopular.  For  instance,  there  is  at  present  op- 
position in  some  quarters  to  doctrinal  preaching.  The  claim  is 
made  that  the  age  has  outgrown  doctrine,  and  we  have  even 
heard  of  a  professor  in  a  theological  seminary  who  advised  his 
students  saying,  "Preach  Christ,  never  mind  the  doctrines." 
The  main  difficulty,  however,  in  connection  with  this  opposi- 
tion to  doctrinal  preaching  would  appear  to  be,  a  failure  rightly 
to  appreciate  what  a  doctrine  is.  A  religious  doctrine  may  be 
defined,  as  a  clearly  thought  and  aptly  worded  statement  of  a 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  29 

Scripture  truth,  with  due  recognition  of  Christ  as  its  source. 
Men,  therefore,  can  outgrow  doctrine  in  two  ways  only,  either 
by  becoming  irreHgious  or  by  ceasing  to  be  clear-headed.  And 
as  to  separating  between  Christ  and  doctrine,  the  thing  is  an 
impossibility.  Christ  is  the  heart  of  Christian  doctrine,  and 
Christian  doctrine  is  the  body  of  truth  respecting  Christ. 
Many  even  of  our  Lord's  direct  utterances  while  on  earth  are 
simple,  clear  statements  of  doctrine.  Further,  an  apostle  de- 
clares Scripture  to  be  profitable  for  doctrine,  and  seems  to  have 
written  out  a  creed  or  catechism  for  the  guidance  of  the  young, 
for  Paul  advised  Timothy  to  "hold  fast  the  form  of  sound 
words  which  he  had  heard  of  him."  With  the  injunctions  and 
examples  of  Christ  and  Paul  before  them,  Christian  ministers 
should  preach  doctrine;  preach  it  statedly,  dearly,  interpene- 
tratied  with  the  love  of  Christ  for  souls,  confidently  expecting 
as  they  so  do,  the  attainment  of  one  object  of  the  gift  of  the 
ministry  to  the  Church,  "That  we  henceforth  be  no  more 
children,  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind 
of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  craftiness, 
whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive ;  but  speaking  the  truth  in 
love,  may  grow  up  into  him  in  all  things,  which  is  the  Head, 
even  Christ."*  Doctrinal  preaching  and  doctrinal  standards 
are  an  incalculable  blessing  to  a  world  ever  disquieted  by  mental 
and  spiritual  unrest. 

Further,  it  is  obligatory  on  the  minister,  in  his  representative 
character,  to  insist  that  others  shall  teach  only  the  truth,  and 
that  in  the  teaching  of  the  truth  a  right  spirit  be  manifested 
and  correct  methods  adopted.  This  statement  does  not  in- 
volve, however,  the  cultivation  of  a  polemic  temper  on  the 
part  of  the  servant  of  Christ.  The  spirit  of  strife  is  not  in 
accord  with  the  instructions  of  the  Church's  Lord.  The  obli- 
gation which  is  here  emphasized,  has  relation  chiefly  to  that 
large  sphere  of  usefulness,  in  connection  with  religious  instruc- 
tion, which  Christ  has  opened  by  his  providence,  in  these  days, 
to  his  servants.  Ministers  have  duties  and  responsibilities  in 
relation  to  Sabbath- schools.     The  control  of  the  character  of 

*  Ephesians  iv.  14-15. 


30  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

the  teaching  therein  is  their  pecuHar  province.     If  much  of 
Sabbath-school  instruction  is  meagre,  unsatisfactory,  it  may  be 
non-scriptural ;    if  the  spirit  of  the  institution  itself  in  some 
instances  is  more  that  of  a  place  of  amusement  than  of  a  school 
of  Christ,  the  responsibility  therefor  Hes  chiefly  upon  ministers. 
They  are  in  duty  bound  to  see  that,  this  great  feature  of  modern 
church-life  shall  be  controlled  and  utilized,  for  the  growth  of  the 
scholars  in  the  grace  and   knowledge  of  Christ.      To  this  end 
care  should  be  taken  to  instruct  those  who  look  forward  to  the 
ministry,  in  the  art  as  well  as  in  the  substance  of  teaching. 
Christian    pedagogics    should    be   taught    in   every   theological 
seminary.     The  one  difficulty  experienced  by  young  ministers 
as  they  enter  upon  their  work,  the  one  hindrance  to  the  useful- 
ness of  many  preachers  who  have  been  for  years  pastors,  is  this; 
a  lack  of  knowledge   of  the  art  of  imparting  to  others  what 
they   have   themselves   received.      How   far   this   lack   may  be 
remedied  can  not  at  present  be  clearly  indicated.     It  suffices  to 
point   out  the   need.      Those   who   are   to   be   teachers   of  the 
teachers,  in  churches  and  in  Sabbath-schools,  should  certainly 
themselves  know   something,  not  only  as  to  the  nature  of  the 
truth  which  should  be  taught,  but  also  as  to  the  methods  by 
which  it  may  be  best  imparted. 

Consider,  next,  the  Headship  of  Christ  as  it  affects  the  work 
of  the  Christian  minister  as  a  leader  in  the  ivorship  of  God. 

Because  Christ  is  the  only  Priest  of  his  people,  therefore  it 
is  the  duty  of  the  Christian  minister,  as  Christ's  representative 
in  relation  to  worship,  resolutely  to  oppose  in  practice  and 
teaching,  that  sacerdotalism  which  has  been  the  curse  of  the 
Church  in  every  age.  Within  more  than  one  body  called 
Christian,  persons  claiming  to  be  priests  officiate  in  the  wor- 
ship of  God.  They  arrogate  to  themselves  not  a  declarative 
but  an  authoritative  power.  Whatever  the  Church  which  they 
serve,  substantially  are  they  characterized,  by  a  common  claim 
to  mediate  efficaciously  between  God  and  man.  And  the  claim 
has  resulted  in  three  evils,  against  which  evangelical  ministers 
are  to  present  a  vigorous  and  continuous  protest,  viz.:  com- 
pulsory liturgies,  the  confessional  and  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  31 

The  evangelical  position  in  relation  to  these  things  is  widely 
misunderstood.  There  seems  to  be  an  impression  in  many 
quarters,  that  the  evangelical  denominations  oppose  them  upon 
mere  arbitrary  grounds,  as  matters  of  taste  or  opinion.  This 
view  fails  to  grasp  the  true  source  and  spirit  of  the  opposition 
to  them.  To  Christians  of  an  evangelical  temper,  the  things  to 
which  we  refer  are  not  matters  of  taste  or  of  opinion,  but  of 
deep-seated  conviction ;  and  they  think  of  them  not  in  relation 
to  themselves,  but  in  relation  to  Christ  and  the  souls  of  men. 
Because  they  believe  that  nothing  is  to  come  between  the  soul 
and  Christ,  therefore,  do  many  ministers  resolutely  discounte- 
nance the  use  in  the  churches  of  compulsory  liturgies.  Quite 
as  much  as  others  may  they  desire  to  use  correct  literary  forms 
in  public  worship,  and  far  more  than  ritualists  do  they  have 
opportunity  to  put  their  desire  into  practice.  Worship,  how- 
ever, it  is  to  be  remembered,  is  not  to  any  appreciable  extent 
a  matter  of  grammar  or  rhetoric.  It  is  the  aspiration  of  the 
soul  of  man  toward  God  through  Christ,  in  the  adoration  of 
his  perfections  and  in  the  supplication  of  his  blessing.  And 
ritualists  do  appear  practically  to  teach,  that  the  free  human 
spirit  can  not  draw  nigh  to  the  infinite  Father  unless  fettered 
by  liturgies ;  and  that  God  can  not  be  properly  adored  or  his 
favor  secured  except  through  a  prayer-book.  Views  with  such 
tendencies,  are  not  loyalty  to  him  who  ever  liveth  to  make  in- 
tercession for  his  people.  And  they  who  are  his  representa- 
tives, should  ever  keep  unbarred  by  men,  the  way  of  access  to 
the  throne  of  grace. 

Especially  are  ministers  in  defense  of  the  priesthood  of 
Christ,  to  oppose  the  confessional  and  the  mass.  In  these 
things  a  direct  assault  is  made  upon  the  mediatorial  work  of  the 
Redeemer.  Whatever  plea  may  be  made  for  a  confessional, 
its  practical  effect  is  to  teach  that  men,  as  mediators  between 
God  and  man,  can  forgive  sins — a  position  and  power  which  no 
apostle  ever  claimed  or  exercised.  And  as  to  the  sacrifice  of 
the  mass,  no  terms  are  strong  enough  to  express  the  condemna- 
tion which  it  deserves.  The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
in  the  simple  form  of  Christ's  appointment,  is  the  highest  priv- 


32  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

ilege  of  the  believer,  and  the  most  exalted  act  in  the  worship  of 
God.  But  the  Church  of  Rome  has  so  grievously  corrupted 
this  high  and  holy  ordinance,  that  we  doubt  if  her  administra- 
tion of  it  can  be  regarded  in  any  particular  as  Christian. 
Statedly  do  her  priests  claim  to  change  at  the  altar  bread  into 
the  substance  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and  offer  the 
whole  Christ  present  in  the  Eucharist,  a  true  propitiatory  sac- 
rifice by  which  God  is  appeased.  Thus  doing  they  repeatedly 
crucify  afresh  the  Son  of  God;  they  teach  that  his  sacrifice 
offered  upon  Calvary  needs  additional  propitiatory  sacrifices  for 
the  remission  of  the  sins  of  men;  and  in  the  claim  of  the  stu- 
pendous power  to  change  a  wafer,  not  into  the  likeness  of  God, 
but  into  God,  they  at  least  make  themselves  liable  to  the 
charge  contained  in  our  Standards  of  being  idolaters.  Such 
glaring  perversions  of  truth,  in  connection  with  the  satisfaction 
for  sin  offered  once  for  all  by  Christ  upon  the  cross,  need 
explicit  statement  and  unmistakable  rebuke.  And  a  course  of 
sermons  against  Romanism  can  only  result  in  good.  One  min- 
ister located  in  a  community  where  Romanists  are  numerous, 
and  courageous  in  his  exposure  of  their  errors,  has  for  years 
received  at  well-nigh  every  sacramental  season,  converts  from 
the  Romish  Body.  The  power  and  influence  of  the  False 
Church,  the  errors  of  whose  doctrines  lie  exposes,  are  but  an 
added  test  of  his  loyalty  to  Christ  as  the  priestly  Head  of  his 
people. 

Again,  the  minister  as  the  representative  of  Christ  in  his 
priestly  office,  should  clearly  bear  unceasing  witness,  to  the  all- 
important  character  of  the  great  Christian  doctrine  of  the 
Atonement.  This  doctrine  is  fundamental  to  the  Headship  of 
Christ  as  Priest,  Prophet  and  King.  It  is  the  one  thing  which 
makes  Christianity  Christian  It  is  that  grand  peculiarity  of 
the  Gospel,  which  was  of  old  a  stumbling-block  to  the  Jews  and 
foolishness  to  the  Greeks.  Error  in  connection  with  it  saps 
the  whole  of  religion.  Romanists  add  human  merit  to  Christ's, 
and  so  make  the  Atonement  of  partial  efficacy.  Socinians  deny 
any  need  of  satisfaction  for  sin,  and  make  Christ  a  mere  man. 
Infidels,    regarding  virtue    as    dependent  upon    circumstances, 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  33 


reject  Christianity  absolutely.  To  fullness  of  Christian  faith, 
power  of  Christian  preaching,  and  efficacy  of  Christian  wor- 
ship, the  belief  is  essential  that  Christ  "his  own  self  bare  our 
sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree."*  And  this  truth  Christian 
ministers  are  commissioned,  not  only  to  preach,  but  to  set  forth 
by  visible  signs.  Statedly  do  they  administer  the  sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  officiating  at  a  table  upon  which  are  seen 
emblems  which  not  only  bring  Christ  to  remembrance,  but 
also  in  connection  with  which  his  death  is  to  be  shown  till  he 
come.f  The  broken  bread  and  the  poured  out  wine,  emblem- 
atic of  the  broken  body  and  the  shed  blood  of  the  Lord,  are 
the  divine  emphasis  upon  the  absolute  necessity  to  Christian 
faith,  Christian  life  and  the  Christian  Church  of  the  satisfac- 
tion for  sin  made  upon  the  cross.  Christian  ministers  are, 
therefore,  in  preaching  and  worship  alike,  to  place  repeated 
stress  upon  Christ's  all-sufficient  sacrifice.  The  sacrament 
which  by  his  authority  they  administer,  is  a  part  of  their  com- 
mission, for  upon  it  in  letters  of  blood  the  words  are  written, 
"Shew  forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."  This  command 
they  can  fulfill,  only  by  so  preaching  and  so  praying,  that  the 
cry  shall  be  heard  from  unnumbered  lips,  "God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner;"  that  all  who  worship  shall  realize  that  they  have 
access  unto  the  Father,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest,  alone 
by  the  blood  of  Jesus ;  that  all  those  who  profess  the  Saviour's 
nam.e  shall  clearly  discern  the  Lord's  body  in  its  supreme  re- 
lation to  human  welfare  for  both  time  and  eternity;  and  that 
there  may  come  upon  every  Christian  life  the  forceful  impact 
of  the  constraining  love  of  Jesus  Christ, 

We  confess  to  deep  feeling  in  this  matter  of  which  we  now 
treat.  There  is  in  some  portions  of  the  Church,  a  tendency  on 
the  part  of  ministers  to  abstain  from  the  preaching  of  the 
Cross,  and  to  prayer  which  is  feebly  expressive  of  the  facts  of 
sin  and  salvation.  "For  this  cause  many  are  weak  and  sickly, 
and  many  sleep.  "|  There  is  further  a  frequently  expressed 
desire,  on  the  part  of  earnest  and  true  ministers,  for  an  increase 
in  the  devotional  spirit  of  the  Church.     They  feel  that  there  is 

*i  Peter  ii.  24.      fi  Corinthians  xi.  26.      Ji  Corinthians  xi.  30. 


34  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

a  lack  in  this  particular,  and  that  too  much  is  made  of  the 
merely  intellectual  in  connection  with  public  worship  and 
Christian  life.  But  liturgies  are  no  remedy  for  the  lack  thus 
pointed  out.  The  letter  of  forms  can  not  supply  the  spirit 
which  is  life.  Increased  sense  of  oligation  to  and  dependence 
upon  Christ,  can  alone  bring  increase  of  devotion.  And 
therefore,  are  ministers  specially  charged  in  all  preaching,  in 
all  prayer,  in  all  praise,  above  all,  in  that  highest  act  of  Chris- 
tian worship,  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  so  to  set 
forth  Christ  the  living  Head,  that  waiting  souls  shall  feel  as  they 
look  upon  him  their  deepest  needs,  see  in  him  their  supreme 
desire,  receive  of  his  salvation  and  of  his  life,  and  be  poured 
forth  in  adoring  praise  of  him  who  ever  liveth  to  make  inter- 
cession for  them.  Only  as  before  the  eyes  of  men,  Jesus 
Christ  is  evidently  set  forth  crucified  among  them,  can  public 
services  rise  to  the  height  of  true  worship.  Yea,  so  only  can 
Christian  life  become  here  what  it  is  hereafter  to  be,  an  unend- 
ing song  of  praise  to  him  who  loved  us  and  gave  himself  for  us. 

Christian  ministers  are,  therefore,  to  give  close  attention  to 
the  cultivation  of  a  devotional  temper  in  themselves  and  others. 
In  the  words  of  the  "Directory  for  Worship,"  they  are  "to  en- 
deavor to  acquire  both  the  spirit  and  gift  of  prayer,"  and  "are 
to  be  careful  not  to  make  their  sermons  so  long  as  to  interfere 
with  or  exclude  the  more  important  duties  of  praise  and 
prayer."*  And  inasmuch  as  the  essence  of  religion  is  not  in- 
tellectualism,  but  devotion — alike  in  the  conduct  of  public  wor- 
ship and  of  the  pastoral  life— are  they  ever  by  teaching,  prayer 
and  example  to  increase  the  sense  of  personal  obligation  to 
Jesus  Christ.  That  minister  alone  lives  up  to  the  measure  of 
the  commission  entrusted  to  him ;  alone  is  a  true  leader  in  the 
worship  of  the  Church,  who  so  impresses  Christ  upon  men  and 
women  that,  in  the  Church  and  out  of  it,  it  can  be  said,  Christ 
liveth  in  them. 

We  take  up  briefly  the  kingly  office  of  Christ,  as  it  affects 
the  work  of  the  Christian  minister  as  a  ruler.  In  the  kingly,  as 
in   his  other  mediatorial   offices,   Christ   has  always  been    the 

♦Directory  for  Worship,  Chapter  VII.  Section  4. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  35 

Head  of  his  Church.  Lawgivers,  judges  and  kings  of  the 
Theocratic  Kingdom,  were  but  types  of  him  whose  scepter 
sways  from  Paradise  lost  to  Paradise  regained.  And  as  under 
the  Old  Testament  dispensation  there  were  persons  who  were 
representative  of  him  in  rule,  as  well  as  in  instruction  and 
worship ;  so  also,  as  we  have  seen,  there  are  such  representative 
persons  under  the  New  Testament  dispensation.  Because 
Christ  is  Head  of  his  Church  in  all  matters  of  rule,  therefore, 
are  his  ambassadors  to  exercise  authority  as  rulers. 

Any  exhaustive  treatment  of  the  duty  of  ministers,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  Church  kingdom, 
conjointly  with  the  ruling  elders,  would  be  at  this  time  an 
impossibility.  As  under  the  other  heads  of  discussion,  certain 
particulars  of  duty  which  seem  to  need  present  attention  are 
indicated. 

Ministers  should  see  to  it,  as  one  particular  of  duty,  that  ap- 
plicants for  church-membership,  prior  to  their  appearance  before 
the  Session,  are  in  a  mental  and  spiritual  condition  to  give  sat- 
isfactory proof  of  their  knowledge  and  piety.  Many  churches 
suffer  grievously  from  neglect  in  this  matter,  and  to  this  neglect 
is  to  be  largely  attributed  the  fact  that,  during  the  past  five 
years,  our  own  Church  has  lost  from  her  membership  very 
many  persons  by  causes  other  than  death.  The  way  into  the 
Church  is  not  as  Christ  commanded  that  it  should  be,  a  narrow 
way.  There  seems  to  be  in  many  quarters,  more  of  a  desire 
for  temporary  increase  in  numbers,  than  for  a  strong  Christian 
character  in  converts. 

Again,  ministers  are  specially  charged  with  the  duty  of  car- 
ing for  those  whom  our  Standards  call  young  Christians.  This 
duty  is  indicated  by  Christ  in  the  special  command,  ' '  P>ed  my 
lambs,"  and  the  command  implies  a  responsibility  for  the  chil- 
dren of  believers,  incumbent  upon  ministers  as  well  as  upon 
parents.  Church  officers,  therefore,  are  to  deal  with  the  chil- 
dren of  the  Church  as  the  lambs  of  the  flock,  and  to  impress 
upon  them  that  they  are  in  the  visible  Church.  "And,  when 
they  come  to  years  of  discretion,  if  they  be  free  from  scandal, 
appear  sober  and  stead)',  and  to  have  sufficient  knowledge  to 


36  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

discern  the  Lord's  body,"  they  are  to  inform  them  that  "it  is 
their  duty  and  their  privilege  to  come  to  the  Lord's  Supper,"* 
The  question  which  really  confronts  young  Christians  at  the 
period  of  discretion  is  not,  Will  you  join  the  visible  Church? 
but  Will  you  go  out  of  it?  In  relation  to  this  whole  matter 
there  is  a  widespread,  but  not  a  growing  neglect. 

Further,  the  minister  is  to  bring  the  power  of  Christ  to  bear 
upon  all  questions  vital  to  the  social  interests  of  men.  The 
Master's  warning  in  this  particular  is,  "Ye  are  the  salt  of  the 
earth;  but  if  the  salt  has  lost  its  savor,  wherewith  shall  it  be 
salted?  It  is  thenceforth  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out 
and  trodden  under  foot  of  men."t  A  gospel  which  fails  to 
reach,  influence  and  benefit  the  masses,  as  early  Christianity 
did,  as  English  Methodism  did,  is  salt  which  has  lost  its  savor. 
The  most  serious  Christian  problems  of  the  day  are  in  our  great 
cities,  and  only  the  gospel  which  has  savor,  can  be  of  any  value 
in  relation  to  the  present  widespread  social  fermentation.  It  is 
obedience  to  God  which  can  alone  produce  obedience  to  law. 

Especially  is  the  minister  to  cultivate  the  missionary  spirit  in 
himself  and  in  others.  He  is  to  press  home  upon  every  oppor- 
tune occasion  the  fact  that,  the  one  work  to  which  Christ  sum- 
mons all  who  bear  his  name  is,  the  work  of  extending  his 
Kingdom  in  the  earth.  "Missions  are  the  chief  end  of  the 
Christian  Church;"  and  the  possession  of  a  missionary  spirit  is 
the  best  measure  of  a  Christian's  growth,  toward  the  stature  of 
the  fullness  of  Christ.  Moreover,  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  the  internal  prosperity  of  Christian  churches,  largely 
depends  on  the  measure  of  their  faithfulness  in  this  particular. 
"There  is  that  scattereth  and  yet  increaseth."  May  God 
grant  that  Christian  churches  and  ministers  everywhere  may 
be  filled  with  the  Spirit,  and  so  pray,  give  and  labor,  that  the 
hour  may  be  hastened  when  every  tongue  shall  confess  and 
every  knee  shall  bow  to  Christ  as  Lord  of  all. 

III.    THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN    MINISTER. 

We  close  with  thoughts  expressive  of  f/ic  spirit  which  should 


■'■Directory  for  Worship,  <"'hnp*'-r  X.,  Section  1.       t Matthew  v.  13. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  37 

characterize  the  Christian  minister,  in  the  exercise  of  his  office 
as  a  representative  of  Christ. 

The  spirit  of  the  Christian  minister  should  be  a  spirit  of 
Jminility,  remembering  his  responsibilities.  Many  persons  make 
much  of  the  dignity  of  the  ministerial  office,  and  it  certainly 
has  a  high  and  peculiar  dignity,  impressing  itself  strongly  upon 
the  minds  of  men.  A  minister  applied  at  one  time  to  Andrew 
Jackson  for  a  political  office.  "  What  is  your  present  calling, 
sir?"  said  the  President.  "I  am  a  Christian  minister,  sir," 
was  the  reply.  "A  minister!"  exclaimed  the  President,  "a 
minister!  You  hold,  sir,  a  higher  commission  than  any  I  can 
give  you  ;"  and  then  dismissed  the  applicant.  Whatever  of  dig- 
nity, however,  the  ministerial  office  possesses,  is,  after  all,  but 
a  dim  reflection  of  the  King  in  his  glory.  The  true  minister  of 
Jesus  Christ  will  ever  cherish  an  humble  spirit,  thinking  not  so 
much  of  the  exalted  character  of  his  office,  as  of  his  privileges 
therein,  and  amid  his  varied  labors  will  he  ever  say  to  himself 
like  Archibald  Hodge — 

"I  am  but  a  poor  sinner,  and  nothing  at  all, 
And  Jesus  Christ  is  all  in  all." 

He  will  dwell  chiefly  upon  his  responsibilities,  daily  girded 
by  a  growing  sense  of  their  weight  to  acquit  himself  as  a  work- 
man not  needing  to  be  ashamed. 

The  true  minister  will  further  cherish,  a  spirit  o^  fell ozv ship 
toward  all  his  brethren  in  the  ministry.  The  minister  has  a 
relation,  often  unheeded,  to  the  unity  of  the  Church.  In  the 
year  1654,  the  Provincial  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
of  England  published  a  notable  book  entitled,  "The  Divine 
Right  of  the  Gospel  Ministry."  We  quote  from  it  as  follows: 
"But  now  we  say  that  the  whole  Church  of  Christ  throughout 
the  world  is  but  one ;  and  that  every  minister  has  a  relation  to 
this  Church  Catholic."  This  relation  of  the  minister  to  the 
Church  Universal,  the  New  Testament  sets  forth  by  applying 
to  ministers  terms  such  as,  ministers  of  God,  ministers  of 
Christ,  ministers  of  the  New  Testament,  but  never  any  term 
indicative  of  relation  to  a  party  or  a  sect.  Ministers  stand  in 
relation  primaril}',  not  to  any  church  or  denomination,  but  to 


38  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


Jesus  Christ.  By  virtue  of  their  right  of-  free  choice,  they  do, 
in  the  exercise  of  their  office,  circumscribe  themselves  within 
the  hmits  of  denominational  standards,  as  to  matters  of  faith, 
worship  and  polity.  None  of  these  limitations,  however,  can 
destroy  the  fact  that  they  are  first  and  always  representatives 
and  servants  of  him  who  is  the  Head  of  the  whole  Church. 
They  are  to  be  the  visible  signs  to  the  world  of  the  Church's 
unity  in  her  living  Head.  The  Christian  unity  so  greatly 
desired  by  many  persons  is  to  be  attained,  not  by  force  of 
arms  or  legislation,  leaving  men  "convinced  against  their  will, 
and  of  the  same  opinion  still";  nor  by  the  concentration  of  all 
Christian  bodies  into  one  great  body,  to  result,  as  of  old,  in 
corruption  both  in  faith  and  practice;  but  through  the  cordial 
recognition  by  Christian  ministers  generally  of  their  true  and 
common  character  as  representatives  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
way  to  Church  Union  lies  in  ministerial  recognition.  Ever 
then,  are  ministers  to  labor  for  this  true  unity,  living  in  its 
spirit,  and  holding  out  to  all  who  are  servants  of  Christ,  that 
right  hand  of  fellowship  which  James,  Peter  and  John  gave  to 
Paul.  From  the  clasp  of  the  hand  of  that  loving  fellowship, 
one  minister  may  go  to  a  distant  field,  as  Paul  to  the  Gentiles; 
another  may  remain  in  a  home  field,  as  James  at  Jerusalem  ; 
but  whatever  denominational  name  they  may  bear,  still  are 
they  servants  of  one  Lord,  and  virtually  will  they  maintain  one 
faith  and  minister  the  same  sacraments. 

Finally,  the  minister's  spirit  is  to  be,  one  of  steadfast  allegi- 
ance and  passionate  devotion  to  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ. 
We  approve  heartily  of  that  loyalty  to  conviction,  which  leads 
ministers  in  the  churches  with  which  God  has  cast  their  lot,  to 
be  true  to  denominational  creeds,  polities  and  interests.  This 
course  simple  manhood  requires  and  commends.  But  such 
loyalty  is  not  the  supreme  demand  made  upon  Christian  minis- 
ters. They  are  to  feel  within  themselves  the  power  of  a 
personal  and  omnipotent  will,  the  overcoming  strength  of  a 
masterful  personal  love.  We  illustrate  our  meaning  by  refer- 
ence to  the  history  of  the  Church.  To  what,  think  you,  is  to 
be  attributed  the  marvelous  victories  achieved  by  Christianity 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  39 

in  the  early  ages?  What  made  the  Primitive  Christian  Church 
the  power  it  was  in  the  world?  Was  it  devotion  to  a  polity, 
or  attachment  to  a  liturgy,  or  the  advocacy  of  a  creed?  Was 
it  the  culture  of  philosophies,  or  the  practice  of  the  virtues? 
Was  it  any  one  of  these  things  which  inspired  the  disciples  of 
the  olden  time  fearlessly  to  face  trial,  persecution  and  martyr- 
dom? Let  us  open  our  eyes  to  the  facts  in  the  case.  What 
moved  them  as  one,  in  every  generation,  was  a  passionate 
attachment  stronger  than  life,  to  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ. 
A  maiden  of  Syracuse,  as  she  looked  upon  her  bleeding  body 
mutilated  by  the  persecutor's  knife,  calmly  said,  ' '  I  shall  not 
be  less  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  my  heavenly  Bridegroom." 
The  might  of  the  love  which  ruled  in  her  heart,  the  members 
of  the  Early  Church  felt  almost  without  exception.  They 
heard  the  call  of  Christ's  tender  and  masterful  voice,  saying, 
"Follow  me,"  and  they  leapt  instantly  and  joyfully  to  labor, 
conflict  and  death.  ■•  He  had  bidden  them  to  disciple  all 
nations,  and  his  command  was  more  potent  than  the  terrors 
of  the  sword,  the  stake  and  the  cross.  No  persecutions  were 
too  severe  to  be  borne,  no  deaths  too  terrible  to  be  endured,  if 
in  them  they  could  evidence  their  obedience  and  affection  to 
him,  whom  unseen,  they  yet  loved.  And  when  at  last  the 
hour  of  triumph  came,  and  heathenism  withdrew  defeated 
from  the  field,  the  real  conqueror  was  neither  apostle,  evangel- 
ist, confessor,  nor  martyr,  not  even  the  Primitive  Church  as  a 
whole !  the  name  of  the  victor  in  that  long  struggle  of  three 
centuries,  was  heard  in  the  death-cry  of  the  last  of  pagan 
emperors,   "Thou  hast  conquered,  O  Galilaean!" 

And  does  not  the  Galilsean  conquer  still?  Shall  he  not  turn 
and  overturn  until  he  reigns  whose  right  it  is?  Is  he  not  still 
passionately  loved?  Are  there  not  those  now  who  can  say 
with  Paul,  "I  count  not  my  life  dear  unto  myself,"  and  within 
whom  reigns  supreme  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth 
knowledge?  Christians,  it  is  earnestly  declared,  long  for  a 
renewal  of  the  triumphs  of  the  days  of  old.  Let  them  realize, 
then,  the  truth,  that  the  victories  of  the  early  age  can  be 
repeated  only  by  a  revival  of  its  passionate  personal  devotion. 


40  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 

The  spiritual  conquest  of  the  world,  like  the  conquest  of  the 
Roman  Empire,  is  to  be  achieved  alone  by  the  power  of  a  per- 
sonal love  for  a  personal  Christ.  To  Christian  ministers,  as 
they  long-  for  success  in  their  work ;  to  Christians  generally,  as 
they  live  and  labor  in  the  hope  of  the  salvation  of  a  perishing 
world ;  we  commend  as  the  key-note  of  all  effort  and  the  assur- 
ance of  victory,  the  motto  of  Zinzendorf, 

"I    HAVE    BUT    ONE    PASSION,    IT    IS    HE."    . 


I  close  with  words  expressive  of  my  obligations  and 
responsibilities. 

To  the  respected  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  this 
venerable  Seminary  of  sacred  learning,  who  have  elected  me  to 
the  responsible  office  of  Professor  of  Practical  Theology,  I 
tender  my  sincere  thanks.  To  the  professors  of  this  Institution 
I  also  owe  public  recognition  of  the  cordial  unanimity  with 
which  they  seconded  the  call  of  the  Trustees,  and  of  the  sym- 
pathetic and  affectionate  regard  with  which  they  have  sustained 
me  thus  far  in  my  labors.  I  accept  the  office  with  a  feeling  of 
my  entire  dependence  upon  Christ  for  success  therein.  Fol- 
lowing in  the  footsteps  of  one  who  was  distinguished  as  a 
preacher,  eminent  as  a  pastor,  highly  qualified  by  natural  gifts 
and  by  divine  grace  for  the  position  he  so  long  filled  with  grei.t 
ability,  and  whose  sudden  death  the  whole  Church  yet  mourns, 
I  can  but  feel  the  grave  responsibilities  which  have  been  laid 
upon  me.  May  God  make  this  Institution,  by  the  blessing  of 
the  Divine  Spirit,  more  and  more  a  means  for  the  dissemination 
among  men,  of  the  knowledge  of  him  who  is  the  way,  the 
truth  and  the  life;  and  may  he,  the  Head  of  the  Church,  com- 
municate to  us  all,  as  members  of  his  body,  life,  grace  and 
power,  according  to  the  need. 


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